Catalina Island


	Catalina Island [Isla Catalina] Check out our boat trip to Catalina from May 2009 in the video below!!! Catalina Island or as the locals know it, Isla Catalina, is a 9.6 square kilometre uninhabited off shore wildlife reserve located five miles south of La Romana. Indeed the island can be seen from La Romana. The Taino Indians called this island "Toeya" although there is no clear evidence whether they actually inhabited the island or not. Christopher Columbus gave this island its current name in honor of Saint Catalina. Catalina Island closes at 4pm each day. At that time all tourists and workers have to get on a boat and leave! How to get to Catalina-excursion or small fishing boat! Most tourists will get an excursion from the resort. At the Catalonia in Bayahibe they offered trips on 3 days, Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. These trips lasted between 9-1.30pm and the costs was 45US. The other choice is to find a local fisherman to take you. Feeling adventurous one day, Ashers and I decided to take this option! The main reasons for this decision are that a local fishing captain will take you where you want to go on the island. We wanted to explore some remote beaches and this was possible in a small fishing boat. Also you are not tied to the timings of an organised trip. From a cost point of view it costs around the same as that for an organised trip. That said, the boat would have taken more than just 2 of us and if, for example 6 of you went, it would be significantly cheaper! The boat trip to Catalina Island The journey itself in a fishing boat takes about 40 minutes. On the way to the island the sea was calm and the voyage was a pleasure. On the way the sea became rough and our ride was somewhat bumpy!!! If this happens to you sit towards the back of the boat it is more comfortable. On the way back we were able to travel along the coast and see some properties which are owned by celebrities. The house to the right is owned by the singer Shakira. An interview with Alex a stallholder on Catalina Island At www.dominican-republic-holiday.com we like to bring you interviews with local Dominicans. Here Ashers conducts a video interview with Alex and his colleagues Ramon and Adolfo. Alex who owns stall no 5 on Catalina Island. Click here for interview with Alex the stallholder The interview is in Spanish but we have added an English transcription. What is there to do on Catalina? Most people go there to enjoy a beautiful Caribbean Island and Catalina Island is known for its white beaches and shallow waters. You would have a great time enjoying the main beach which is where most tourists go on organised trips. The alternative is visiting a more remote beach. If you have the time you could walk to the beach pictured left. It was totally empty and offered the opportunity of spending time on a very uncommercialised part of the Caribbean coastline. You can have an excellent walk along this beach. Diving and snorkeling Catalina has coral reefs close to the island for snorkeling. It is also a destination for many dive excursions who come to Catalina for the reefs and tropical fish. There is a restaurant on the island so you shouldn`t need to take a pack lunch. There are also a number of stalls from which to buy gifts. Say hello to Alex from stall 5. If you ask nicely he may offer you a tot of the local brew Mamajuana. Ashers tried it and suggested that it would go nicely in the car! His gifts however are excellent. This is one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean and we took the below video to record our trip. It gives a good feel for the island. NB:after starting the movie,the `HQ` button will appear in the right hand corner. If you click on it it will give a higher quality picture but this is dependent on your internet connection]. CHECK OUT MORE ABOUT THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC From Catalina Island Dominican Republic to Samana for the whale watching Las Terrenas -lovely village on the northern Samana peninsula More on Santo Domingo`s famous colonial zone Check out Dominican cuisine Or Dominican history Larimar stone. The beautiful precious stone unique to the Dominican Republic Or Dominican Republic travel tips Golf in the Dominican Republic More on merengue music Check out one of the main holiday destinations in the north-Puerto Plata You may also wish to check out the resort of Punta Cana in the east of the Dominican Republic Las Terrenas Dominican Republic King of the web	Ever thought about creating your own web based business? If you have a passion for a subject [it could be anything-travel,cookery etc], the determination but just need professional help to get you going click the Site Build It banner ad below Below- some random videos giving a flavour of the Dominican Republic Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com
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